Lactate dehydrogenase activity and isoform distribution in normal and hypertrophic smooth muscle tissue from the rat

The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and isoform distribution of LDH were investigated in tissue samples from the rat portal vein, aorta and urinary bladder. In addition, samples were obtained from hypertrophic urinary bladder. The total LDH activity per unit smooth muscle volume was higher in the urinary bladder compared to that in portal vein and aorta. Five LDH isoforms, reflecting different combinations of the two polypeptide chains denoted H and M, could be separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The aorta contained more of the H form compared to the portal vein and urinary bladder. This difference suggests that the aorta, which is a slow smooth muscle, is more adapted for aerobic metabolism than the faster muscles of portal vein and urinary bladder. In the hypertrophic urinary bladder a shift in LDH isoform pattern towards less of the H form was found, which correlates with a better maintenance of contraction in anoxia in this type of hypertrophic smooth muscle.